How do you pronounce plankton?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˈplæŋ(k).tən/.

plankton

/ˈplæŋ(k).tən/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.05 in modern English

Syllables: plank-ton
IPA: /ˈplæŋ(k).tən/

Scrabble Score

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Meaning

noun

Organisms, especially small and microscopic ones, that drift in water.

Uncountable

noun

A plankter, any single organism that drifts in water.

Countable

Example Sentences

"Whales feed on tiny plankton drifting in the ocean."
"The lake water was full of microscopic plankton."
"The study focused on the role of plankton in the food chain."

Etymology

Borrowed from German Plankton, coined by German zoologist and marine biologist Victor Hensen. By surface analysis, Ancient Greek πλαγκτός (planktós, “drifter”) + -on. Ultimately from Ancient Greek πλαγκτόν (planktón, “drifting”), neuter nominative of πλαγκτός (planktós), from πλάζομαι (plázomai, “to wander, drift”), from πλάζω (plázō, “to cause to wander, drive astray”). By surface analysis, plankt- + -on.

Origin

Source language: German

Word Breakdown

Root: Plankton, πλαγκτόν

Usage

Subject

Wiktionary places this term in Biology.

Inflected Forms

planktons (plural)

Derived Forms

aeroplankton archaeoplankton bacterioplankton bathyplankton epiplankton euplankton femtoplankton geoplankton haliplankton holoplankton ichthyoplankton jellyplankton

Phrases

office plankton

Frequently Paired Words

plankter planktic planktology planktotrophic nekton neuston psammon pleuston

Rhymes With

zooplankton langton